As luck would have it, the holiday shopping season is picking up at the exact moment Republican presidential candidates are kicking into high gear before voting starts in January.

If you're looking for a gift for a politically-inclined hipster friend, what could be better than gear from a presidential campaign that, in all likelihood, will have faded into obscurity by Martin Luther King day? It's both ironic and campy — and has the added benefit of someday becoming eBay gold.

No longer are your choices limited to the tired campaigh pins and tee-shirts. Politicians have gotten creative with campaign gear, diversifying the selection so that there's a little something for everyone.

We know your holiday shopping time is precious, so combed the online campaign stores for the best stuff out there to save you the trouble.

For the beer-drinking hipster

Herman Cain's absurdist, post-modern campaign was basically hipster gold, and his departure from the race has only increased his cachet.

Thankfully, for those looking for a token of what could have been the Cain campaign shop is still open for business, at least for now.

There are plenty of options to choose from, but our favorite is this campaign can cooler, emblazoned with the Hermanator's smiling face. With this in your pal's hand, every sip of PBR will be a wonderful reminder of the best moments of the 2012 campaign.

(Alternatively, for the coffee house hipster, we suggest Cain's 9-9-9 coffee mug as a friendly memento of the hottest number of the campaign.)

For the domestic hipster

Perhaps the most creative campaign merchandise available this holiday season is the Ron Paul Family Cookbook, which is basically destined for online auction glory.

So if you are looking for a foodie gift that's not The Art of Living, consider this as an alternative. According to a description on the Paul campaign website, the "eagerly anticipated" recipe collection "will warm your kitchen and your heart." It also promises pictures of the "entire Paul family," which could be interesting.

For the hipster who loves theme parties

Courtesy of CafePress

Hipsters love the 90s, so by extension, hipsters naturally love Newt Gingrich, the petulant House Speaker who orchestrated the '94 Republican takeover, shut down the government, and tried to destroy Bill Clinton.

So for your friend who loves a good theme party — and what hipster doesn't? — this "I'm With Newt" CafePress shirt is a great pick. I'ts subtle, but makes a statement, and also works as an everyday ironic tee-shirt. Plus, Newt is a funny word.

For the hipster you don't really know but have to buy a gift for anyway

rickperry.org

Decorative trinkets are a solid go-to if you need an inexpensive gift for your FWB, barista, Secret Santa etc...

Thankfully, political campaigns are all about paraphernalia, so you basically have your pick of buttons, stickers, and pins. But we suggest Rick Perry merchandise — Texas is totally ironic, and you can always talk about the "Oops" moment or the shooting-coyotes-while-jogging thing if the gift exchange gets awkward.

Unfortunately, the Rick Perry Bobblehead is out of stock — but the Perry campaign does have the only refrigerator magnets we've see so far.

For the libertarian hipster

The libertarian iconoclast is really hot right now, so this Christmas is a great time to show your conservative loved ones you care by donating a little to the cause. Assuming you don't want to go the dorm room window sign route, campaign wristbands are a nice way to show support the revolution.

Our personal favorite is this "End The Fed" band, but there is also a camouflage "Support The Troops" band, a "Yes To Freedom" band, and a wide "I Heart Ron Paul - Champion of the Constitution" band.

For the hipster ski bunny

For some reason, fleeces are the hottest campaign clothing item of 2012.

A lot of the campaigns have been pushing fleeces hard, but we think that Michele Bachmann has the best one out there — it has a more classical look to it than, say, a Mitt Romney fleece.

It's also a surprisingly good gift for someone who is hitting the slopes this holiday season. For one thing, it's useful for layering. And unlike a Romney fleece, this gift is a great conversation starter — Aspen and Vail aren't really Tea Party strongholds, so the Bachmann sweater is bound to raise a few questions.

For hipsters who like to drink

With 1,239 presidential debates on tap for 2012, #drink jokes are getting old fast. Mostly because we know no one is actually taking a shot every time Newt Gingrich scowls.

Here's a chance to prove us wrong. This election-themed deck of cards from PolitiCards gives your friends the perfect excuse to come up with their own (hopefully sustainable) debate drinking game. Each card has an illustration of a different 2012 politician, pundit, and political celebrity, and to make things more interesting, they are all depicted as movie characters.

If debates aren't your thing, this is also great to bring along as Kwanzaa party hostess gifts, New Year's Eve game night props, and stocking stuffers.

For the hipster who can't let go

For Hillary-maniacs still mourning the spring of 2008 and secretly hoping for a VP-SOC switcheroo next year, here's a little Christmas surprise from the former First Lady's long-dead campaign.

To pay off its debts, the campaign has relaunched its store with a fire sale of memorabilia. The pickings are slim, but there are still some tee-shirts, posters, and buttons available for the taking.

Our favorite is the "She Is The One" poster — but if you're willing to shell out real cash, you can also score one of the limited edition Rauschenberg campaign posters, or a DVD of Mrs. Clinton's 2008 Democratic convention speech signed by President Bill Clinton himself.